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The BC Clarks Jingle—an Oklahoma Tradition

If you live in Oklahoma around the holidays, you know it just isn’t the Christmas season until you’ve heard one little jingle: “Jewelry is the gift to give, ‘cuz it’s the gift that’ll live and live…so give the gift you know can’t fail, from BC Clark’s Anniversary Sale!”OK, it’s not the best writing ever, but the BC Clark jingle is an Oklahoma tradition.

The jingle advertises BC Clark’s, Oklahoma’s oldest jeweler (as the jingle says, they’ve been in business since 1892!).When they first premiered the jingle as a way of advertising their annual Christmas sale back in 1956, no one thought it would become an Oklahoma tradition.In fact, it’s kind of like Oklahoma’s own Christmas song.I know I don’t feel like the holiday season has begun until I hear it.

What’s really interesting is how the jingle has taken on a life of its own.BC Clark’s tried to replace it with a new one in 1961, but even after just five years, the jingle was incredibly popular, and they quickly went back to it.The only change that has been made to the jingle is that one line had to be removed when advertising spots went from 60 seconds to 30 seconds.Other than that, the jingle has remained unchanged since 1956, making it one of the, if not THE, longest running jingle in history.

But few people who weren’t born and raised in Oklahoma knew about the jingle until 2001.Actress Megan Mullally, an Oklahoma native, was on The Tonight Show around the holiday season, and she sang the jingle for Jay Leno.Since then, the jingle has spread around the country and the world.If you’re from Oklahoma, then you know it’s just not Christmas without it!

1 response so far ↓

I’m not originally from Oklahoma… in fact, I’ve only been here since just before Christmas in 2002. Most of my friends who have grown up here can’t understand why I like the jingle so much. I posted it on my blog last year, too, and when I posted it again this year, one of my good friends asked why, because they thought it was annoying. Too bad LOL.